Baltic Gambit

January 1801, and Captain Alan Lewrie, RN, known as 'St. Alan the Liberator' for freeing a dozen slaves, is at last being brought to trial with his life on the line.At the same time, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, and Prussia are forming a League of Armed Neutrality, to Napoleon Bonaparte s delight, to deny Great Britain their vital exports, even if it means war. England will need all her experienced sea dogs, but even Alan Lewrie?Ultimately he is acquitted, but he s also ignored by the Navy, so it s half-pay on civvy street for him, and with idle time on his mischievous hands, Lewrie is sure to get himself in trouble again! Lewrie is summoned to Admiralty and the command of the Thermopylae frigate as the fleet gathers to face down the League of the North and the mad Tsar Paul. He must venture into the Baltic in the dead of winter, alone and with no support, to scout the enemy fleets, saddled with a pair of Russian noblemen as a last-minute peace delegation, but if the wily Foreign Office spy-master, Zachariah Twigg, sent them, what else might their mission be?All that and the Battle of Copenhagen, too, and it s broadsides at close quarters, and treachery for Lewrie, forcing him to use all his wiles to survive!Number fifteen in The Alan Lewrie Naval Adventures, The Baltic Gambit is perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian, Julian Stockwin and C.S. Forester. You could get addicted to this series. Easily New York Times Book Review'The best naval series since C. S. Forester Recommended Library Journal Fast-moving A hugely likeable hero, a huge cast of sharply drawn supporting characters: there's nothing missing. Wonderful stuff Kirkus Reviews